The Chicago Bears did not get a lot of a bounce from interim coach Thomas Brown.
Brown changed the fired Matt Eberflus the day after Thanksgiving however as a substitute of a spark, the Bears went to San Francisco and obtained pummeled by the 49ers.
Minnesota (11-2) welcomes Chicago because the Bears’ dropping streak stands at seven video games coming into Monday night time’s divisional matchup towards the red-hot Vikings.
A six-game profitable streak has the Vikings on the heels of the Eagles and Lions within the race for NFC homefield. Minnesota is within the playoffs, clinching a spot with the Seahawks’ loss on Sunday night time. Most lately, the Vikings racked up 42 factors at dwelling towards Atlanta in Week 14.
There aren’t too many venues that may get louder than the U.S. Financial institution Stadium when the Vikings are enjoying effectively.
Search for Minnesota to leap out to a quick begin towards a Bears group with a first-year quarterback and a training workers that is clearly in a state of flux at this level of the yr.
–It is the teaching, silly
The Bears’ resolution to fireplace a head coach in midseason for the primary time in franchise historical past signifies simply how dire issues had develop into at Halas Corridor.
Eberflus left them with no alternative after his in-game blunder towards the Lions on Thanksgiving Day, which was laid naked for the entire world to see.
With 36 seconds remaining within the fourth quarter and Chicago trailing 23-20 on Detroit’s 41-yard line, Eberflus opted to not name a timeout on third down following a sack to his quarterback Caleb Williams.
As an alternative, the Bears wasted 30 seconds making an attempt to get organized on the line of scrimmage, throwing an incomplete cross as time expired. Thus, they have been unable to try a game-tying 58-yard discipline purpose.
After the sport, Bears extensive receiver Keenan Allen appeared to not so subtly blame the teaching workers immediately, telling reporters, “We did sufficient as gamers to win this sport.”
In different phrases, the gamers have been those who held up their finish of the discount.
Sadly, the debacle towards the Lions was simply one other instance of Eberflus being utterly past his depth as a head coach this season.
Two weeks earlier than the loss to the Lions, the Bears had an opportunity for a game-winning discipline purpose towards the Packers, however as a substitute of operating one other play to make the kick shorter, Eberflus ran 27 seconds off the clock just for Inexperienced Bay to dam a 46-yarder.
–Prop choose: Vikings pass-catchers
Jordan Addison lit up the Chicago secondary within the first assembly Nov. 24 with eight catches for 162 yards and a landing after which went for 8-133-3 towards the Falcons final week.
The Bears would possibly shake issues up with Eberflus not calling defensive pictures, however Chicago sits in the identical pick-your-poison predicament with Justin Jefferson reverse Addison. Tight finish T.J. Hockenson additionally had seven receptions towards the Bears final month and had 11 catches for 100 yards and a landing in two video games on this matchup final season.
Quarterback Sam Darnold spreads the wealth on this one with Jefferson and Addison recording six receptions apiece and Addison over 60 yards.
Prop: Two bets parlayed: Addison six-plus receptions, Addison 60-plus receiving yards (+248 FanDuel)
–Bears’ coaches are ill-prepared
Earlier than the Bears canned Eberflus, he fired his offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron. Final season, he fired offensive coordinator Luke Getsy.
Thomas Brown, who took over for Waldron as coordinator, is now the interim head coach.
Whereas the Bears’ efficiency on the sphere actually warranted some change, this revolving door of coordinators and head coaches is not notably helpful for his or her rookie quarterback.
There are respectable issues about their teaching workers’s skill to arrange midweek and devise a plan within the early levels of a sport.
Of all 32 groups, the Bears common the third-fewest factors within the first half, 7.4, and after they’re on the street, that common drops to 4.7.
Given their teaching carousel and workers members being elevated into new positions to fill a void, one can solely marvel if there is a lack of high quality on account of inexperience.
And with the Bears but to cowl the first-half unfold in all six street video games this season, it is troublesome to see them turning the tide on Monday night time towards a top quality Vikings group.
Finest guess: Vikings 1H -3.5 (-115 DraftKings)
–Michael Nwaneri, Discipline Stage Media